In 1971, wild horses and burros were found roaming across 53.8 million acres of Herd Areas (HAs), of which 42.4 million acres were under the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) jurisdiction. Today the BLM manages wild horses and burros in subsets of these HAs, known as Herd Management Areas (HMAs) that comprise 31.6 millionacres, of which 26.9 million acres are under BLM management.

The Lost Creek HMA encompasses over 251,000 acres, of which 235,000 acres are BLM-administered public lands. This HMA is joined on the east by the Stewart Creek HMA, on the north by the Antelope Hills HMA, and on the west by the Divide Basin HMA. The HMA lies within the Great Divide Basin, a closed basin out of which no water flows. Some desert playa and vegetated dune areas are interspersed throughout the HMA. Several sensitive desert wetland riparian areas occur throughout the area, including both intermittent and perennial lakes and streams. Elevation ranges from 6,500 to 6,800 feet and the winters are long and severe. Annual precipitation averages a little less than six inches.

The AML for this HMA is 60- 82 horses. A full range of colors is present. The present population has been influenced by the routine escape of domestic saddle stock from the surrounding populated areas. The horses range from 14 to 15 hands and 800-1000 pounds mature weight. The Genetic Analysis of the Lost Creek HMA by Dr. Gus Cothran of Texas A&M University, October 14, 2010 states, “Genetic variability of this herd is fairly high. All values related to allelic diversity and heterozygosity are high. Genetic similarity results suggest a herd with mixed ancestry that primarily is North American. There is a possibility of some, although limited, Iberian ancestry.”

This Site Uses Cookies

We have incorporated the use of cookies to allow you to use this site more effectively and to allow you to bid on animals. If you are concerned about our use of cookies, please read our cookie information.

This is a U.S. Government ComputerSystem.
Before continuing, please read
this disclaimer
and privacy statement.